The Tigers scored on all three powerplays they got in the game, all in the second period, to take game one from the Raiders. (Jordan Feere/Medicine Hat Tigers)

By Nick Nielsen

Raiders down 1-0 in series

Special teams battle makes the difference as Raiders lose game one to Tigers

Apr 13, 2025 | 12:07 AM

Round two of the WHL playoffs is officially here, and that would send the Prince Albert Raiders to Medicine Hat to take on the Tigers in a battle between the East and Central Division champions. During the game we saw three very different periods, an even first period, a third period where the Raiders made a solid comeback effort, and an unfortunate third period where the Raiders would fall behind. Altogether, the Raiders would lose 6-4.

The Raiders opened the scoring when the Tigers tried to clear the puck but hit an official. Riley Boychuk was the first to the puck, and he centered it for Evan Smith streaking in before he fired a wrist shot for his first of the playoffs at 10:06.

The Tigers would tie it before the end of the period when Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll held the puck in on the left wall and sent it ahead for Markus Ruck, and he centered it for Liam Ruck before he fired to tie it at 16:25.

After 1: Raiders 1 – 1 Tigers, shots 12-5 Tigers

The second period is where things went off the rails. At the 8:00 mark with Lukas Dragicevic in the penalty box for roughing, a point shot from Tanner Molendyk would get tipped by Oasiz Wiesblatt into the back of the net.

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Then with Vojtech Vochvest in the box for an ineligible player penalty after his helmet came off and he put it back on in the middle of play, Bryce Pickford sent a shot wide of the goal that came out the other side to Gavin McKenna. He buried his third of the playoffs at 10:27.

Then at even strength, the Tigers scored again on a rush. Matthew Ward had a partial breakaway, but a backchecking Raider made it tough for him to shoot. Instead, he spun to protect the puck and sent a pass to a streaking Josh Van Mulligen would tap it on net at 14:50, and it just barely slipped over the line before Max Hildebrand could get a glove on it.

Then on their third powerplay with Brayden Dube in the box for hooking, the Tigers scored again. This time it was Ryder Ritchie who ripped home an admittedly great wrist shot at 16:41, and the onslaught from the Tigers powerplay would finally end.

After 2: Raiders 1 – 5 Tigers, shots 20-4 Tigers, 32-9 Tigers overall

The third period has been the best period this season for the Raiders, and that was the case again as got their third powerplay of the game. On the man advantage, Niall Crocker and Aiden Oiring helped cycle the puck to Daxon Rudolph, and the Raiders rookie defenceman would send a shot through traffic for his first of the playoffs at 5:15.

Then at 9:36, Ethan Bibeau would enter the zone down the left and drop it back for Evan Smith. He fired a shot off the mask of Jordan Switzer, and the bounce came to Dayce Derkatch crashing the net for his first playoff goal.

With momentum on the Raiders side, they’d press on to try and climb to within two goals, but the Tigers would score at the 15:27 mark when Jonas Woo was setup for a onetimer from the right point and his shot was tipped in by Misha Volotovskii.

Just 25 seconds later, and the Raiders would score again. Rilen Kovacevic waited and found a great passing lane from the right of his own blueline to the left of the Tigers blueline for a streaking Brayden Dube, and he’d speed past the defenceman on a partial breakaway before he scored his first of the playoffs at 15:52.

The Raiders would pull their goaltender in the final minutes of the game, and the Tigers would ice the puck trying to hit the empty net, but when the Raiders finally got set up in the zone they couldn’t find a shooting lane and the comeback would fall short.

FINAL: Raiders 4 – 6 Tigers, shots 11-4 Raiders, 36-20 Tigers overall

Max Hildebrand was pulled for the first time since February 7th against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. During the game, Hildebrand stopped 27/32 shots faced, and of the five goals that got by him there’s one goal he may want back.

Dimitri Fortin played the entire third period, facing 3/4 shots he faced.

Game two is set for Sunday at 6:00 p.m.